Crimson Red Sports

After the humiliating loss to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl last year, it was a long year to wait for this season to get here. For one solid year the Bama team and fans had to wait for their team to get a chance for some kind of redemption for the egg that Bama laid against the Buckeyes in the Sugar Bowl last year. The sports analysts pounded the fact, on a daily basis, that the SEC was way over rated, Bama most of all, and the BIG 10 is truly the power conference of college football.

Hello world, did you watch the Cotton Bowl last night? Redemption is a wonderful thing, especially when most of the country is watching it on national television and no sports analyst has to say anything about Bama and the SEC, everyone could see for themselves. Maybe last year's loss to Ohio State was a fluke afterall as most knowledgeable football fans thought. Coach Saban never flinched with the loss as he stated that he and his staff didn't have the team prepared mentally as they should have. How many times has he stated that the mental aspect of the game is the most important part of the recipe for winning? CNS is a master in mind games and now he has a chance to prove it once more.

Now it's Clemson.

Clemson was very impressive in their win against Oklahoma. I, for one, have felt throughout the season that Clemson might have been a little overrated but after the way they trounced the Sooners yesterday afternoon, they are the real deal for sure. Dabo has finally reached the peak of success in the college coaching world in getting his first chance to play for the National Championship. To complete his task of reaching the very top of his goal though he has the unfortunate task of having to beat the coach that every college team in the country wants to beat, Coach Nick Saban and his Alabama Crimson Tide.

Alabama is beatable though as Ole Miss proved that earlier in the season with the huge upset at Bryant Denny. Clemson, on the other hand, is undefeated and hasn't had to wake up the next morning asking themselves what the heck happened the day/night before. This could be, if there is one, the one advantage that Bama might have in the game against Clemson. I mentioned before about the player's mental aspect of the game and I think Bama should have an advantage there. The big advantage I think is Bama has been in these big games, playoffs, before and has some valuable game experience . After the loss to Ole Miss earlier this season, the rest of the season was played under the pretense of having to win every game left on their schedule and to have a lot of luck in hoping the teams ahead of them would lose some games. Bama's good fortune of having some luck did happen for them but I think the most important thing that happened was the team's leadership grew in big proportions and the team got better and better with each game. Jake Coker grew up in the Ole Miss loss with a super effort on his part and the Bama players realized that they did have a quarterback after all and the rest is history up this point in time.

Per the broadcast in last night's game, Bama has opened as the favorite, -7, to win it all again and this will start the mental strategies of both coaches. Dabo was quick to toss his first "hand grenade" of his mental strategy after their game last night as he stated in a very loud voice that his team gets no recognition at all and is always the underdog in their games. This is his calling card for his team and his players will hear this everyday at practice. CNS on the other hand must now find his "hand grenade" to downplay the talk of his team being the favorite. If there has ever been a coach to use the mental side of the game to gain an advantage there is none better than Nick Saban. It hasn't always worked for him, such as the Ohio State game last year, but he has something this year that makes a big difference in his strategy, visible team leadership. That alone makes his and the staffs job much easier as they prepare for yet another"crystal bowl".

It will be very interesting to watch the sports media this next week. Will they wrap their arms around Bama and start declaring them to be the next national champion or will they jump on the Clemson bandwagon? Personally I hope they fall in love with Clemson, that makes it much easier for the Bama coaches. It's also good to see that Alabama football is being represented by both teams. Coach Swinney played on the 1992 National Championship team coached by Gene Stallings and what a team they had, just ask Miami. Is Alabama football overrated, I don't think so, just check the school's record it speaks for itself. RTR!!!

 #+ for the super job their Jamos. Dabo has done a great job at Clemson and now they seem to be the ACC kink in the elbow working each year higher and higher in the playoff rankings. I do love the mindset of the players this year. It seems they are ready to play some hard nosed football. It will be a close game but we shall see. RTR!

Great call, J!  #+

So far, everything I'm hearing from the media is "Clemson has a great team, but I'm picking Alabama". I'm not worried, though, because the team is as focused as I've ever seen them, and I don't think anything the media has to say will have any effect on the team. If they keep the mind set that they had last night, they will be bringing home #16.

Meanwhle...Great analysis J.  Well said.

Gotta love the leadership and focus the team has now.  I gotta believe the coaches have already done a good bit of analysis of Clemson, and won't be starting that just now.

Nobody on here wants to embarass Dabo with a blowout, although that could happen.  But I hope we see a solid win.

I was thinking the same way last night.  This morning, I'm OK with it.

Time for 2 to change the pic at the bottom of his posts.
Maybe wait a week first!

 #+  very good read!

Well done, Jamos.   #+

Great read Jamos,  Thanks.  I am looking at this game as a win-win situation.  I love the Crimson Tide with every fiber of my being. I want them to win without a doubt.  However, I also have been a big fan of Clemson since they won the NC in 1981 and I also like Dabo too.  So, when Bama wins the NC next week then I will be ecstatic for Coach Saban & staff, the players, the fans, the SEC and the entire state of Alabama.  However, if we should somehow stumble and Clemson steals the victory then I'll be very happy for Dabo and his team...

That's where I am; no hate for Clemson, and a fan of Dabo.  This isn't like playing Notre Dame, Texas, or LSU.  It's family.  A simple 17-0 beatdown will suffice!!

 :lol2: :lol2:

I'm not a fan of Clemson, too much like Auburn to me, too much whining, "Clemsoning."  Especially before Dabo arrived in town, they were wannabes, looking up to the Florida States of the world.

On the other hand, Dabo is family;  he bleeds crimson; Clemson lucked out to get him.

... and (elephant in the room) we may want Dabo as HC one day soon!

 :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X

That's not much of a secret.   :lol:

I think I recall seeing some press member ask him about it during an interview.

Dabo's verbal response was, as expected, how much his loves coaching at Clemson, he has a job to do, etc.  But his eyes said, "Hell yeah!"

2 years ago, they were calling for Dabo's head up there.

Yes they were and one great season doesn't make a career. CNS says the hardest part about being great is to sustain the greatness and only time has the answer to that. ;)

True, J.
This game won't hurt Dabo if they lose.  But it will make Dabo's career if they win.   ;)

Right now I'm really high on Dabo as Saban's successor.  I hope Saban sticks around a few more years so we can see if he can sustain success.

Exactly!! Who knows though, CNS might decide to take the AD job and hire him himself. ;)

This is so entertaining to me. My business partner in SC hates Alabama, but hates Clemson and Dabo worse. He's always tried to bust my cahones about Alabama and Saban. He called me the other day and said if Bama and Clemson play for the Natty, he was going to pull for Bama. I texted him the morning after, "Are you practicing your Roll Tide?"  :lol2:

If Dabo goes to Bama, he might try to buy me out and disown me.